


Superhero

by Kass



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, Parenthood, Small Towns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-30 17:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3945058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kass/pseuds/Kass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I don't know how you do it," Claire said. She meant raising two kids on the Barton farm without Clint.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Superhero

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Kouredios for beta! Spoiler for Age of Ultron.

The coffee shop was busy, but Claire and Jess had gotten there early enough to grab a table. Laura ordered a decaf latte -- sixteen ounce, single shot, whole milk -- and made her way over.

"Cute wedges," Claire said.

"And nails," Jess added.

Laura twinkled her fingers at them. Her nails were sparkly and purple. "Might be my last mani-pedi before the baby," she pointed out.

"After he's born, you want a manicure, you call me," Jess reminded her. "I'll babysit."

"He won't be taking a bottle that soon," Laura protested.

"I can handle it." Jess grinned.

And she could, too. After three months of a colicky baby 24/7, taking anyone else's baby for an hour was a cakewalk. Besides, Jess's guy was five now, which meant pacing the halls with a fussy newborn was ancient history for her, and revisiting it for an hour wouldn't be so bad. Laura nodded and took a sip of her latte.

Claire asked the question that she always asked. "When is Clint getting home this week?"

"He'll be here by Friday night, probably after the kids go to bed but before I do." Laura was looking forward to that. She'd reached the point in the pregnancy where she was getting calf cramps in the middle of the night, and she was looking forward to Clint's talented hands soothing those away.

"I don't know how you do it," Claire said. She meant raising two kids on the Barton farm without Clint.

"School five days a week," Laura pointed out. "The same way you do."

"Yeah, but I have a co-parent all week."

"It's no big deal. Cooper and Lila watch a few more cartoons than I originally envisioned. But I'm pretty sure it's not rotting their brains or anything."

Her name reached her from across the crowded room. "Laura!" David was making a beeline for their table. Laura had known him since college, which meant he'd known Laura and Clint's kids from babyhood on. He beamed at her. "You look glorious."

Laura laughed. "I feel exhausted. But thanks."

"How much longer?" 

"Due date's in two weeks, but Lila was early, so it's anyone's guess." The go bag had been in the trunk of her car since 36 weeks, just to be on the safe side.

"Chris is going to bring you breakfast," David promised. "As soon as you're home from the hospital. And he's already making lasagnas to freeze for you."

"You guys are the best," Laura said.

"I wouldn't mind some of Chris's lasagna," Claire mock-pouted.

"Is that what they're calling it nowadays?" Jess gave her a wicked grin.

"We're not a catering service," David pointed out primly. "But we might trade a lasagna for your _Person of Interest_ dvds."

"Isn't it on Netflix?" Laura asked. Everyone at the table shook their heads. "Okay, clearly I'm out of the loop, nevermind."

"Deal," Claire said, and she and David shook on it.

"I have to get back to the library, I'm on tap for story hour this week," David said. "Bye, ladies!"

There was a pause after he walked away, and then Claire picked up the thread again. "Is he really going to stop going to the city after the baby's born?"

She meant Clint. They'd had this conversation before. Laura shrugged. "We're not sure. He says he's going to take an extended sabbatical, but I'm not convinced it'll stick. He loves saving the world, and he can't do it from here."

"Do you ever think it would be easier if you lived in the city?"

Laura shook her head. "Honestly, I can't imagine it. The trees-to-internet ratio is all wrong."

Her friends recognized the shorthand. Live somewhere truly rural, there isn't any internet; live somewhere too urban, there aren't any trees. But a farmhouse like the one they'd inherited from Clint's parents was the best of all possible worlds: surrounded by woods and fields, and yet only twelve minutes from a town with a coffee shop and a manicurist and decent sushi, which meant well within the range of DSL. 

"Besides," Laura added, "I'm not even sure I'd see more of Clint if we were in the city. The Avengers don't exactly keep normal business hours."

Claire snorted. "If that  _People_ article about Tony Stark was even vaguely accurate, it sounds like he has no work/life boundaries whatsoever."

Laura spread her hands: _whoa, let's not go there_. "I can neither confirm nor deny. It's not like I know the guy."

"But Clint's coming home for the first few months, right?" Jess pressed, and Laura nodded. "Okay. If he winds up going back to work after that -- I know, he says he's going to change career, but I don't believe it any more than you do -- you know we're here to help, right?"

"I do," Laura confirmed.

"As long as Clint understands who's the actual superhero around here," Claire said.

Laura couldn't help the smile, even though she knew it probably looked smug. "He does," she assured them. "Believe me."

"Then I will stop hassling you and drink my coffee," Claire said magnanimously.

"Gee, thanks."

"And we're here whenever you need us," Jess added.

"I know," Laura said again. "Look, I've got paid leave for the first few months. And we already have a spot reserved at Michelle's daycare, so once we hit three months, daytimes are going to get a lot easier."

"Here's to easier," Claire said, and they clinked their mismatched ceramic coffee mugs.


End file.
